Polysemy Obscures the General Understanding of Translation

Article Details

Global Watchtower

Common Sense Advisory Blogs

Posted by Donald A. DePalma on September 23, 2005 in the following blogs: Translation and Localization, Web Globalization, Business Globalization, Technology, Interpreting, Market Data, Global Marketing, Best Practices, Supplier Business Issues
Pages \| \|

We had read a few references to Dr. Bradford's presentation on more local, sustainable economies before we realized that his use of "localization" infringed on the term as we understood it -- that is, the localization of cancer susceptibility genes by genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism linkage-disequilibrium mapping or localization of optical isotropy and iridescence in a smectic blue phase.

Wait, no, we didn't really think about determining the location or site of a lesion or disease, but rather adapting software or websites to local market needs. Every day in conversations with friends who are surgeons, political activists, and technologists, we find that the litany of terms we use every day means something different to each of our interlocutors.

Localization a la Willits. It sounds like we should be at Dr. Bradford's speech. But wait a second. He makes the case for localization in two parts: 1) we have no choice but to localize, because fossil fuels are too expensive and scarce to support the daily importation of food and energy; and 2) localization benefits our community, including abundant new job opportunities and re-invigoration of our economy. Nope, there would have been a bunch of people leaving after the second slide because they expected a rousing debate about liquid crystal blue phases or TM alignment.

Translation. Every day our understanding of language-to-language translation is challenged by the more scientific operation of data translation (analog data acquisition, format and device conversions, middleware, etc.), all familiar operations from our halcyon days at Interbase (database management). Besides translation, there's the translation of currency and financial statements. Then there's also the big issue question of ball bearing translation stages and their use in microscopy, machine vision inspection, alignment, interferometry, wafer inspection, and a variety of vibration-sensitive applications. Well, alignment, tunnel vision, and overly sensitive individuals are familiar, but this isn't the translation we know.

Then we come to "globalization," a term that in the U.S. traditionally evoked a positive outreach. To some it meant a valuable homogenization of some aspect of world culture that would help people understand each other better -- for example, Thomas Friedman famously observed in "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" that no two countries with McDonald's had ever gone to war (that contention was subsequently disproved by NATO in the former Yugoslavia). Then off-shoring came and bothered U.S. white-collar professionals. Many around the world view this monoculturalism more sinisterly, some equating "globalization" with "Americanization." Thus, when America's National Public Radio (NPR) reported on Argentine looting during riots in December 2001, the reporter noted "the customary trashing of a McDonald's restaurant" -- a symbol of that
"bad" form of globalization. No wonder why our discussion of globalization at that cocktail party made that woman's eyes glaze over more than the three Tanqueray martinis she drank did. "Internationalization" (I18n) falls into the same black hole as globalization.

What's the bottom line? Those who live and die by the word often forget that the words they use to describe their work make no sense to the people who sign the checks. Translate the terms you use to talk about your job (globalization, localization, or translation) into words that justify business or shareholder value. Demonstrate how corporate goals such as "own the midrange market" and "increase the lifetime value of customers" in growing international markets relate to your work. In other words, use the language and tools of corporate strategists to discuss how localization increases look-to-buy ratios, limits customer defections, and raises the likelihood of a prospect in Germany recalling your brand. Focus attention on which localization efforts have the greatest return for your company's stated business goals. In summary, translate your experience into your budget master's frame of reference and ideolect.

Categories